Accounting watchdog announces investigation into PwC over BHS audit June 27, 2016 The watchdog for the accountancy industry has today announced it will launch an investigation into PwC over BHS. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said it will take a closer look at the professional services firm's audit of the retailer for the year ended 30 August 2014. A PwC spokesperson said: "We will co-operate fully with the FRC in its [...]
Accounting watchdog set to announce verdict of probe into KPMG’s HBOS audit June 26, 2016 The accounting watchdog is set to announce the verdict of its probe into KPMG’s audit of collapsed bank HBOS on Monday. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) met last week to consider the outcome of preliminary enquiries. Read more: FCA confirms it will investigate former HBOS bosses The body said on Thursday that its conduct committee [...]
None of the alternatives are better than single market, non-EU business groups warn June 15, 2016 Business groups from across the world have warned that the UK's current access to the single market beats all alternatives. In a report issued by the Confederation of British Industry, groups representing firms in Albania, Norway, Switzerland and Canada – all cited by Leave campaigners as models for potential alternatives – have said the UK [...]
British Bankers’ Association set to merge with rival trade associations June 9, 2016 British Bankers' Association (BBA), the trade body that was heavily criticised for its role as the administrator of the Libor interest rate benchmark, is expected to be merged with its rival associations. According to Sky News, BBA members are reportedly set to vote in favour of plans to merge the banking trade bodies to form a [...]
Accountancy watchdog launches probe into Deloitte over Serco audit off back of fraud squad investigation June 8, 2016 The accountancy watchdog today launched an investigation into Deloitte over the audit of Serco Group, off the back of information uncovered by an ongoing investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has said it will be investigating the big four firm in relation to the preparation, approval and audit of the outsourcing company’s [...]
Accountancy watchdog cannot follow up on BHS inquiry as requested because it’s being asked to investigate people who aren’t actually accountants June 7, 2016 The accountancy watchdog today declined to investigate the BHS collapse as thoroughly as one professional body has requested it to, on the grounds that such a probe would fall miles outside of its remit. Responding to a letter from Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, the Financial Reporting Council's (FRC) chief executive Stephen [...]
The war on cash is raging – should we welcome or fear the death of hard money? June 7, 2016 Cash is no longer king. Although the Bank of England unveiled a new, polymer-coated £5 note last week, the seemingly unstoppable march towards paper-free transactions continues. Electronic payments overtook notes and coins last year in the UK, according to the Payments Council, an industry body representing the banks and card machine industry. They now account for [...]
Financial Reporting Council launches KPMG probe over additional services provided while it audited Ted Baker June 6, 2016 The accountancy watchdog has today announced an investigation into KPMG Audit over its handling of its additional services provided to Ted Baker. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has said it will be examining how the big four firm complied with ethical standards relating to providing non-audit services while it was auditing the retailer. The periods concerned [...]
Archaic laws surrounding UK defined benefit pension promises are not fit for purpose June 4, 2016 The proposed and unprecedented plan to change the basis for Tata steel members’ future pension increases from Retail Price Index to Consumer Price Index is another reality check of the real pressure faced by companies which are trying to remain competitive and, at the same time, honour generous legacy defined benefit (DB) pensions, which in many [...]
Institute of Directors boss slams Arcadia chairman over BHS collapse in open letter to MPs June 3, 2016 A day after its collapse, the boss of one of the UK's largest business lobbying organisations has said he "can't defend" the running of BHS – and added that "serious questions need to be asked of almost everybody concerned". In an open letter to MPs Frank Field and Iain Wright, chairs of the Commons Select [...]